If you love Starbucks & whiskey, you need to make your way over to Seattle ASAP. For a limited time only, they will be offering two new specialty drinks and bags of coffee made from beans aged in whiskey barrels. *gasp* *Frantically searches for flights to Washington.*
Starbucks recently announced that the branch will be selling a cold brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and a hot “con creme” drink that is topped with cascara sugar and foam — both made from whiskey barrel-aged coffee beans.
These special little beans have been named Starbucks Reserve Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi. A bit of a mouthful but a big taste makes for a big name. They’re made in “freshly emptied” whiskey barrels from Woodinville Whiskey, a Washington State distillery.
Starbucks explained the process, stating that “the beans are hand rotated frequently to ensure all the coffee comes into contact with the oak barrel.” This is a new roasting process that burns off the alcohol but retains the flavor of the whiskey.
“The process takes time, care and patience, ensuring we deliver a distinct experience that stays true to the specialness of the coffee while imparting the complementary, distinguished favor of the oak-aged barrel,” says Duane Thompson, from Starbucks beverage R&D team.
Via Fortune.com. Image via CNBC.com.